Politics Morning Star
Cutting heat pump grants to fund defence ‘self-defeating’, energy boss warns
CUTTING heat pump subsidies to fund military spending would be “self-defeating” as reducing reliance on gas is a matter of national security, the boss of Octopus Energy warned today. Under the Boiler
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Under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the government provides grants of up to £9,000 to help households move to the technology, which costs more upfront than traditional boilers.
Reports suggest ministers are preparing to slash the funding to pay for higher military spending.
Octopus chief executive Greg Jackson said it would be “a tragedy,” saying: “From a national security perspective, reducing our dependence on gas is an important part of defence,” citing shocks from global wars.
“So the very top picture is it would be self-defeating to fund defence by cutting security.”
End Fuel Poverty Coalition co-ordinator Simon Francis said: “Many people using the heat pump grants are rural and older households who currently use heating oil.
“These are some of the homes in deepest fuel poverty that have seen some of the biggest surges in prices for energy in recent months. Pulling the rug out now would hit them hardest.”
He said the “surest” way to protect households from high prices is to help them get off gas and heating oil by funding the Warm Homes Plan in full.
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